Month: November 2012

AFTER TWO YEARS OF RECONSTRUCTION AND 34-MILLION DOLLARS SPENT FOR BEAUTIFYING THE REFLECTING POOL, ITS ALREADY EXPERIENCING ISSUES.

THE REFLECTING POOL IN FRONT OF THE LINCOLN MEMORIAL REOPENED LAST MONTH, BUT VISITORS AT THE NATIONAL MALL ARE NOT HAPPY WITH WHAT’S FLOATING IN THE WATER.

“I’m a visitor here, and I don’t want to see green algae all over the nation’s capital reflecting pool.”

ALGAE IS COVERING THE POOL. BUT, THE 34 –MILLION DOLLARS FUNDED FROM THE ECONOMIC STIMULUS PACKAGE WAS SUPPOSED TO FIX THIS PROBLEM.

“This is the way government always tends to do it. it spends a lot of money on things that can be done at half the price. It’s inefficient and then you end up with the same problems over and over again.”

NATIONAL PARK STAFFERS ARE USING NETS TO REMOVE THE SCUM WHILE THE FILTRATION SYSTEM IS BEING FIXED.

TYSONS CORNER, Va. – With heat kinks, derailments and power problems, it’s been a rough stretch of incidents for Metro recently.

But riders may find relief from these plaguing issues in the system’s newest extension, as the Silver Line grows through Fairfax County, and eventually into Loudoun County.

“In terms of a project perspective, that doesn’t concern me at all,” says Pat Nowakowski, who oversees construction of the Dulles rail project. “That’s normal operational stuff that everybody in the business has to deal with, and (Metro) is dealing with it right now.”

When asked if he thinks the Silver Line will be a stronger line than the rest of the system, Nowakowski said “I don’t know if ‘stronger’ is the right word.”

“WMATA does continually update their standards, so we’re not building it to the original 1970 standards that they built a lot of the system (to),” he says. “So we are building it to the latest standards.”

Nowakowski added that the Silver Line was not damaged in either the recent earthquake or derecho.

Just last week, the final aerial piece of the first segment of the Silver Line was put into place. There is now a complete connection from Falls Church through Tysons and continuing to Reston.

The first leg of the Silver Line, expected to open late next year, will have four stops in Tysons Corner.

Breianna Morgan, a junior at Howard University, made a pledge on New Year’s Day 2011 to People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals. She promised to be a vegan for 30 days. On Sunday evening, January 30, she and a group of friends completed making good on her pledge at Washington, D.C.’s Sticky Fingers Bakery. “It’s the best vegan bakery in D.C. We all ate a vegan red velvet cake that was so good it could make a lion become vegan,” she said, laughing so hard that her face turned red.

Becoming a vegan was the last thing on Morgan’s mind. All she knew was that she wanted a New Year’s resolution that would be beneficial to her and the world as a whole.

While on Google, she somehow found herself on PETA’s Web site.

“I watched a video called ‘Meet Your Meat’ and it was horrifying,” she said. “The video showed animals being treated cruel and unjust. I began to feel bad and wanted to make a change.”

There and then, she signed a petition on http://www.peta.org titled, “Pledge to Be Vegan for 30 Days!”

“I studied the petition and it read, ‘I want to eat better, feel better, and stop supporting cruelty to chickens, pigs, cows, and other animals raised for food,” she said. “By signing my name, I pledged to be vegan,’ and just like that I became a vegan.”

She later received an e-mail from PETA with top tips on the best places to eat out, vegan recipes, the tastiest animal-friendly snacks, and delicious pre-packaged vegan meals. She also got a vegan starter kit in the mail, which came with a magazine on how to make a transition to a healthy eating lifestyle.

“It was so cool when I received updates from PETA through email,” she said. “I felt as if they were my support group throughout the entire month.”

The transition hasn’t been easy. But PETA emailed her information on ways to make the switch smoother. According to Jenny Lou Browning, PETA Vegan Special Projects Coordinator, the top five ways to making the transition to veganism are making vegan versions of your favorite meals, exploring delicious vegan recipes, trying tasty “faux” meats and diary alternatives, sampling microwaveable meals and convenience foods, and finding vegan-friendly restaurants in your area.

“My favorite step was finding vegan restaurants in the DC area, and trying all types of different meals,” Morgan confessed. “I constantly would eat at Soul Vegetarian Café, which is right across the street from Howard. I would usually order a veggie sub or tofu nuggets. I also liked eating at Java Green Café, near Dupont Circle. The soy chicken there is to die for.”

Today, Morgan faithfully practices veganism. “I did not plan on staying a vegan past my 30-day petition, but the lifestyle has really helped me become a healthier person,” she explained. “I hope that I can continue being a vegan and not go back to my old ways because I enjoy supporting animal rights and environmental prosperity.